5 Can’t-Miss Things To Do In Burlington VT

When I think of Vermont, Phish and Ben & Jerry’s come to mind.

Which is entirely appropriate, because after having been there, those two things perfectly help to paint an image of the vibe that Vermont conveys. It’s relaxed and easy going. Eclectic yet quaint. A haven of microbrews, scenic views, and opportunities for long strolls. The things to do in Burlington VT are limitless, and yet there’s a feeling that you don’t want to do too much while there. (You get what I mean, right?)

My girlfriends and I went to Burlington in October on our annual girl’s trip, and we had such an amazing time. (If you want to read our “Rules”, swing by this post. It’s one of my favorite traditions!) I’m excited to share the can’t-miss things we did while there — I’ve been itching to go back, especially with Doug and the kiddos, because I know they’d love it. We went in the fall, so a lot was based on this element of seasonality, but you can definitely tell it’d be amazing any time of year!

5 Can’t-Miss Things To Do In Burlington VT

Stroll Around Downtown + Visit The Lake Champlain Harbor

Downtown Burlington is filled with one of my favorite things — charm! We loved hopping in and out of the many boutiques there, and spent hours perusing the area while stopping to enjoy some food at a farm-to-table place called Farmhouse. Church Street Marketplace is the main hub for shopping, so be sure to explore that area! We easily walked from there to the harbor, where we sat on the dock of Splash at the Boathouse and had drinks while enjoying the view.

Visit The Local Hot Spots

We ended up doing a day tour with Active VT, which was a great way to see the area because all suggestions and places they took us were local suggestions/tried and true. Favorite stops along the way included Overlook Park, which had INCREDIBLE views of the foliage, and Shelburne Orchards, which was a great way to soak in more fall elements. We also went to a host of vineyards, which I noted below!

Wine Taste At Vineyards

A few noteworthy ones we visited were Charlotte Village Winery and Shelburne Vineyard. The shining star was Shelburne — we found a picnic table near the grape leaves and enjoyed the view while the sun was setting. It was absolutely picturesque!

Visit Stowe & Go For A Long Mountain Hike

We drove to Stowe, VT – which was about an hour drive outside of Burlington – and the drive alone was incredible. Stowe is another adorable, quaint town that was so cute! The hike we did was the Stowe Pinnacle Trail, which was a long hike up into the mountains. I won’t lie to you, the hike we did was challenging — it got a bit steep, and there were a lot of rocks to maneuver around — but oh my gosh, the VIEWS once we got to the top! Absolutely beautiful and so worth it.

Cruise Around Lake Champlain On A Sailboat

We hopped on board the Whistling Man and cruised around Lake Champlain at sunset on our last night, and it was truly a scene straight out of a movie. The sunset views….the calm water…the beautiful mountains in the background. I can’t recommend this experience enough!

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What other things are must-dos for the Burlington area? Share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below!

PS – 48 Hours in Nashville + Top Things To Do In Denver

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